A new historical record was set during the qualifying for the 2026 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix. The main sensation was the young Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who showed the best result and took pole position.
The qualifying races took place at the Shanghai International Circuit as part of the second round of the Formula 1 World Championship. It was there that the 19-year-old Italian demonstrated a brilliant performance and wrote his name in the history of motorsport.
New Formula 1 record
Antonelli not only won qualifying, but also became the youngest driver in Formula One history to take pole position . He managed to break the record that had been held by four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel for more than 15 years.
The Italian driver set the fastest lap time of 1:32.064, ahead of his teammate George Russell by more than two-tenths of a second.
Qualification results
In the final qualification protocol, the first positions looked like this:
1st place — Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2nd place — George Russell (Mercedes)
3rd place — Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
4th place — Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5th place — Oscar Piastre (McLaren)
Thus, the Mercedes team occupied the entire front row of the starting grid, demonstrating a very strong pace before the main race.
What does this result mean?
Antonelli’s success was one of the brightest events of the beginning of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The young racer not only won the first pole position of his career, but also set an age-old championship record.
Experts note that the Italian’s performance confirms the high potential of the Mercedes driver, who is already being called one of the main discoveries of the new season.
The main race is ahead
The main race of the Chinese Grand Prix will be held on the Shanghai circuit over a distance of 56 laps. It is there that Antonelli will start from pole position and have the chance to turn his historic pole position into a victory.
The fight promises to be intense, as competitors from Ferrari and McLaren are also showing a high pace and are ready to impose the fight for victory.